


Popcorn and Disarray

by Woodface



Category: Warehouse 13
Genre: Episode: s02e03 Beyond our control, F/F, Fluff, Gen, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-22
Updated: 2021-02-22
Packaged: 2021-03-12 11:15:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,437
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29633823
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Woodface/pseuds/Woodface
Summary: Companion piece to "Beyond our control".Her head feels much too stuffed to deal with all of them right now, especially when they're in this mood. Leena knows she'd get swept away in it, and she's lost a little too much of herself already for one day. There's the beginnings of a headache pressing just behind her eyes and maybe Mrs. Frederic had a point about her needing to take it easy.
Relationships: Claudia Donovan/Leena
Comments: 4
Kudos: 6





	Popcorn and Disarray

**Author's Note:**

  * For [theriacs](https://archiveofourown.org/users/theriacs/gifts).



Mrs. Frederic leaves as she always does. One moment she's right there, giving Leena a disapproving look at her insistence to cook despite everything that has happened, and the next she is alone once more in the kitchen. 

Usually Leena isn't as caught as off guard and can feel the intent to leave, but she's tired and a little drained from having people poke around in her head. It isn't until a minute later when she hears the front door open with Pete is shouting, only to be outdone by Claudia, that she understands why Mrs. Frederic left. 

She doesn't need to look up from her cooking or turn down the range hood to know that her guests are excited. She can feel the chaotic energy radiate off of them as they pass by the kitchen. Pete just gets louder, bickering with Claudia like he's been doing this his whole life. It brings a smile to Leena's face, but she's grateful when their footsteps pass the kitchen. 

Her head feels much too stuffed to deal with all of them right now, especially when they're in this mood. Leena knows she'd get swept away in it, and she's lost a little too much of herself already for one day. There's the beginnings of a headache pressing just behind her eyes and maybe Mrs. Frederic had a point about her needing to take it easy.

"Hey! Leena!" 

She startles, fingers tightening around her spoon, as Claudia slings an arm over her shoulder and her sharp chin comes to rest on the other.

"Guess what?" 

Claudia's not usually this tactile, but she's in high spirits and there's a smile in her voice as she leans into Leena's body. She's just a bit shorter, enough that the position is just shy of awkward, but Claudia is undeterred. Neither does she need an answer.

"I totally saved the day," Claudia announces in a sing-song voice. As she grins, a lock of her hair tickles Leena's cheek, making her fingers twitch to reach up and brush it aside. She doesn't, but she leans back just a little because although Claudia might be all bones, she's as warm as her colours are.

"Did you now?"

"Totally." Claudia nods against her shoulder. "Whatcha making?" she drawls, shifting against Leena's back as she reaches around her to lift the lid of one of the pots.

Leena reaches out quickly, slender fingers wrapping around Claudia's wrist and pulling her hand back before she can lift it. "Nothing special. Just pasta. If I'd known we'd be celebrating your big success, I would have made something else."

Claudia chuckles and her chin presses a little harder into Leena's shoulder before she slips away, the room suddenly feeling that much colder. 

"I bet it's amazing anyway," Claudia insists, and Leena hopes so because she really didn't have the energy to try anything more complicated like she usually does. 

She doesn't get much time to consider the thought as Claudia hops onto the counter beside her, the heel of her sneakers hitting the cupboard. "Anyway, you need to hear this…"

Luckily, Claudia doesn't need much interjection before she launches into her story. It doesn't make a whole lot of sense, especially not when Claudia is an unreliable narrator and tends to digress at any mention of tech, but it doesn’t matter because Claudia's face lights up as she tells the tale with her hands moving animatedly. She's all bright colours, swirling around each other in patterns that are all _Claudia_. There's still traces of the darker, murkier colours lurking underneath - if Leena cares to look for them - but right now Claudia is as close to radiant as Leena has ever seen her. 

She stays there - despite Leena's gentle chides that she's in the way - and fills the silences that Leena didn't realise she needed filled until they are. The press behind her eyes finally lets up and maybe she won't get that headache after all.

  


* * *

  


It isn't the promise of popcorn that drives Leena to follow the others up to Pete's room, but it's easier to pretend that it is. She's the last to file into the room and all the spots are taken. Artie has claimed the armchair for himself, but he's pushed it close enough to the bed to have a good view of the flat screen television and to be within arm reach of the popcorn bowl currently sitting on Pete's lap.

Pete has taken up the middle of the bed, Myka on his left side and Claudia on his right while both women continue their argument. There is a surge of protectiveness as Myka keeps bringing up this _Todd_ who had heavily featured in Claudia's story. It's just that Claudia hadn't mentioned the kissing part which Myka has now fixated on.

Pete looks a little constipated with a crease between his eyebrows as he pretends to ignore the debate happening around him and focuses too much on the television. Leena makes a mental note to talk him out of whatever shovel talk he's mentally preparing.

She's about to turn to fetch a chair from her own room when Claudia calls her name. She snuggles closer into Pete's side so there's just enough space between her and the edge of the bed for Leena to fit. 

"Make her stop, Leena," she pleads as Leena makes her way over to the empty spot. She juts out her lower lip and Leena has to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing, because that will just make matters worse.

"I'm just asking!" Myka objects, but they both know it's so much more than asking and Claudia squirms beside her.

Leena raises an eyebrow and Myka shrugs innocently, but it clashes with the cheshire grin that's still curving her lips.

"Ladies! Can we-" Pete jabs towards the television, looking greatly offended at their lack of focus for the movie he hasn't even started yet. Artie grunts his agreement and leans over to try to snag up the bowl of popcorn, but Claudia beats him to it.

"Hey!" he objects.

"Too slow, old man." Claudia smirks and ignores the huffs and puffs coming from her left. She slides the bowl over so it sits on both their laps and she lifts her chin, pointedly ignoring Artie. "Leena hasn't had any yet," she declares as if her sole purpose was to be galant and not to annoy Artie.

"It's true," Leena agrees and she takes a handful of popcorn from the bowl, smiling at Claudia despite knowing exactly what she is up to. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," Claudia replies politely before making a grab for the popcorn herself. She takes way too much and Pete is already snagging back the bowl as several of the kernels tumble from her hand.

"I better not be finding any popcorn in my sheets later," Pete threatens, but Claudia is unrepentant and already stuffing her face.

"Just play your movie," she says around a mouth full and even Leena is crinkling her nose at that.

It's exactly the command Pete has been waiting for and he instantly ceases protesting to quickly hit play. The room instantly fills with the opening music and everyone settles down as they focus on the movie no one but Pete really wants to see. The bowl of popcorn even makes its way over to Artie in his armchair. 

It's not peaceful by a long shot. Pete starts quoting along in places and Claudia is nitpicking every plothole, occasionally getting backup from Artie while Myka is mostly laughing when the violence gets unrealistic or there's too much blood on the screen. 

Claudia makes sure the popcorn bowl comes their way often enough, Leena can feel the movement as she stretches to procure it, feeling the press of Claudia's hip against hers as she settles back. Somewhere along the way, the movement stops. Maybe because the bowl is empty, or possibly because Leena's head hits Claudia's shoulder.

Claudia doesn't make for the best pillow. She continues her critique, but her voice is a little lower even as Leena can still feel the vibrations. Just like she can feel the tension in Claudia's body, because just like her aura, Claudia is never still. Not unless she's knocked out in her own bed and good luck getting her to move then. Leena knows it's just a matter of time before the dam will break and Claudia will dislodge her. She can feel the tension building in the body beside her. 

"Sorry," she mumbles, soft enough that she's not even sure Claudia heard her. A hand quickly settles on her arm when she starts to move, the touch gentle and easy to ignore, except for how Leena doesn't want to.

"S'cool," Claudia whispers, her thumb brushing the inside of Leena's wrist. Leena stares at their hands, watches warm oranges and deep purples spread from Claudia's touch. 

She nods and settles back against Claudia's shoulder. She means to continue watching, but even now, her mind can't seem to settle. She can feel the brush of Claudia's fingers against her skin as she toys with the cuff of Leena's sleeve, the only part of her that is still in motion. It draws a smile to Leena's lips and pleasant tingles spread along her arm to the very tips of her hair, chasing away whatever ghosts MacPherson left to haunt her.

Everything else becomes background noise. Their voices and banter are almost familiar now. This is what her b&b has become and while she had been content before, it had never been like this. Never felt like _this_. Not that she quite knows what _this_ is, just that it involves these people and that she feels safe enough to let her eyes drift shut.

The next thing she knows, there's a heavy hand shaking her shoulder and Pete is hovering over her. She shifts reflexively, her fingers tightening around a slimmer hand that rests in hers.

"Leena?" Pete really isn't good at whispering and while Leena doesn't have a headache, she still winces because it feels much too loud. "As adorable as this is, I'm going to need my bed back."

Leena blinks blearily as she glances around. Myka is long gone and the empty armchair is back in the corner of the room. The television screen is dark now and it's only her and Claudia left on the bed. 

Pete grimaces, looking almost apologetic, but then Claudia is stirring beside her. Her fingers twitch against Leena's, but she doesn't break the contact.

"You're kicking us out?" She complains, slinging her arm across her eyes. "Not cool, dude."

Pete huffs and his hand falls away as he stands up. "Sorry, Claud, but a man needs his beauty sleep."

"Yeah, no amount of sleep is going to help you out with _that_ ," Claudia comments as she peeks out from underneath her arm.

Pete frowns, mouth opening to argue, but Leena quickly tugs on Claudia's hand before this can escalate. She really doesn't have the energy for a Claudia and Pete snarkfest in the middle of the night.

"We'll go," Leena says firmly. She doesn't give Claudia time to argue, tugging on her hand as she gets up from the bed. Claudia grumbles, but she follows, even as she trips over her own feet while Leena pulls her out of the door.

Leena only lets go of her hand when she hears Pete close the door behind them. She's not completely awake, but her fingers tingle and she wonders what colours Claudia has left behind. Whether they're as bright as Claudia had been earlier or if they're a little darker with warm undertones that speak of belonging. It's a shame she can't see her own aura.

"I think we should all get some sleep," she says mostly to fill the silence as Claudia is blinking at her owlishly. "Hope I didn't drool on you," she jokes as she heads towards her own bedroom. 

"I don't mind," Claudia stammers, a couple of seconds too late. "Not that I think you did," she hastily adds.

"Good." Leena turns the doorknob and pushes open her bedroom door. "Good night, Claudia." 

"Leena?"

She hums softly in reply, hand coming to rest on the doorjamb as she turns to look at Claudia. Her hair is dishevelled, a strand sticking to her cheek, and her eyes are almost black in the dim light of the hallway. 

"Are you okay?" 

The question catches Leena off guard and her heart races as she carefully considers an answer. Her head feels heavy and she didn't get nearly enough sleep, but it was more than she had expected.

She waits too long and Claudia tilts her head, eyebrows knitting together in concern, and for once, Leena feels like she's the one being read.

"I'm-" She falters, doesn't want to lie. Not to Claudia. She's not ready to tell the truth either. "I think I will be," she amends and it's as close to the truth as she'll get tonight.

Claudia's mouth pulls tight, shoulders hunching up, and Leena waits until Claudia works through the fears and concerns that are swirling through her, darkening her aura momentarily. It fades into a new pattern that's both mesmerising and makes Leena want to look away.

"Promise?" Claudia asks plaintively before she catches herself. She takes a step closer, biting her lip. "Promise you'll tell me if you're not? Or Myka," she hastily corrects herself. 

She's rambling and Leena finds herself grinning which just makes everything worse as Claudia flusters and gesticulates wildly. "Or Pete or Artie if you think it will help. I'm not sure they're all that useful, but they'd listen."

They would, Leena knows that much and for the first time in her life she has options. However unlikely some may feel. She isn't alone anymore.

"Claudia," Leena says gently. Her hand slides from the doorjamb and before she can stop herself, she tucks the stray lock of red hair behind Claudia's ear.

Claudia's eyes are wide and she remains motionless in front of Leena. Before she can do anything more, Leena leans in and quickly brushes a kiss to her cheek. 

"I promise," she murmurs, the words coming easier than she ever expected them to. 

Leena doesn't look back as she heads into her bedroom. She doesn't look at the way Claudia's colours swirl around her, or how she stays rooted there, a little dumbstruck. She's learned a long time ago that sometimes it's better not to see and to let things come at her at their own pace.

**Author's Note:**

> This is all theriac's fault so I'm dedicating it to her. I also made her beta it. (Thank you.)
> 
> I tried to look up aura reading, but everything I saw felt like a sham and Leena agreed with me.


End file.
